


Love: Organically Grown and Local

by Taupefox59



Category: Poldark (TV 2015), Return to Treasure Island (TV 1996)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-05-10 02:04:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5564776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taupefox59/pseuds/Taupefox59
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim is a fishmonger at the local farmer's market, and he's got his eye on Ross Poldark, who runs the fruit and veg stand across the way.</p><p>Originally written for the Summer Fandom Raffle Exchange, a few million years ago, for the prompt 'Today is the last farmer's market of the year.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love: Organically Grown and Local

**Author's Note:**

> This is being posted now, because I'm 800 words away from having posted 150K words on AO3 this year, and I was going through my stuff, and this just *happened* to be the exact write size.
> 
> *does a victory dance*
> 
> This is un-beta'd, if you catch anything, please let me know. Constructive criticism always appreciated!

Jim looked over his wares - the white styrofoam buckets filled with ice and fish. He was glad to have brought help today. It seemed like they were constantly restocking things. It was a busy day, which was to be expected; after all, it was the last market day for the year. It helped that it was unseasonably warm, too. The sky was clear and blue, but it wasn’t so hot that people wanted to stay in the comfortable air-conditioning of their homes.

The reasonable, rational part of Jim’s mind was glad for the business. It had been a good year - Farmer’s markets were doing well, coasting on the trends of ‘local food’ and appealing to the hipster chic. Today, though, Jim couldn’t help but wish for a single moment of peace.

Because on the quiet days of the market, nobody would think twice about him walking across the lane to go visit the one Ross Poldark who gave his name to Poldark Produce. Ross didn’t often spend much time actually selling his wares- his assistant Demelza did that. Demelza had a laugh that would ring across the market; she was perfect for catching the interest of the people walking by.

Jim didn’t have much competition; it took a lot of specialized equipment to keep fish fresh and cold. Produce, on the other hand, was a rather cut-throat position in the market. Demelza made all the difference. She was endlessly smiling, and always had a song on her lips and a story at the ready. She was the sort that people were just drawn to - and thus, drawn to the stall.

Ross, however, spent most of his time in the back of the truck, unloading and re-stocking as needed. He was a beautiful man, but his stern face and scarred countenance wasn’t always the best for attracting the prospective customers of a Farmer’s Market.

People didn’t realize that Ross had a smile bright enough it could be used as a searchlight.

Jim had seen that smile many times, and he coveted every occasion of it. He was honestly distinctly proud of how often he managed to be the cause of that smile; of how often it seemed that his own jokes would cause Ross to lose his severe façade and replace it with rumbling laughter.

The only thing that seemed to pull Ross out from behind the stall was when anyone expressed interest in the small table of non-edible wares that was set up in the corner. The table was covered in small stones, swirled with contrasting colour and shot through with copper. There was a small display of copper jewelry, and always a few pieces that combined the two - those were what had originally captured Jim’s interest in the first place. Small copper figures had been crafted, and it looked like they had then been melted back into the rocks from which the copper was drawn from. The end result was some uncanny combination of raw, unfinished stone and beautifully crafted copper. Jim found them entrancing.

He’d never inquired about them though, because every time Ross came out and stood behind the little table, he always smiled like he was trying his best to be cheerful while wearing shoes three sizes too small. So Jim had never asked.

 

They’d been dancing around each other for the entire season. Jim couldn’t count the amount of times there had been some trade after market ended; fish that Jim hadn’t sold swapped for heirloom tomatoes, small, sweet squashes and crisp, bright peppers. 

 

But now it was the last day of Market, and Jim was determined to do more than dance.

 

“Oi! Boss! Is this all the smoked haddock, or do we got more in the truck?”

Jim blinked and shook his head. He really didn’t have time to be thinking about the gorgeous, stormy man who ran the produce stall. He had work to do.

“We’ve got more in the truck. How much do you need?”

 

The next few hours was nearly a blur, constantly moving, dealing with the customers who thought that the last day also meant that everything was suddenly half-price. Jim priced his goods fairly. He didn’t have time for haggling. Apparently the last market day brought out the worst of the bargain-hunters, and Jim’s crew knew that they were to send anyone over to him if anyone was getting upset.

It made for a trying morning, to say the least. Jim felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned around quickly, beating back his exasperation.

The last person he expected it to be was Ross.

 

“Hi.” Jim said, and then promptly wanted to smack himself in the face. He’s trying to end the dance, and the best he can come up with is ‘Hi’? Then he saw the way that Ross looked, dark brows drawn down, jaw tight. “Is something wrong?”

Ross swallowed once, then straightened. “I want to see you again. If you want.”

Jim blinked. Ross continued, “As more than friends.”

 

Jim blinked again, processed the words, then felt the smile take over his face. “Yes. Very much yes.”

And there was that searchlight-smile again.

Suddenly Jim didn’t even care if they didn’t sell another thing for the rest of the day. This was the best market day of his life.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're on tumblr, feel free to come say hi! [ You can find me here! ](http://taupefox59.tumblr.com/)


End file.
